I see this a lot. Obviously, or I wouldn't have such a collection of images--this is just a sampling. Why does it make me sad? Because for the life of this bike, up to the point that the carburetors arrived in my shop, it never got an actual maintenance service. Think of it. Forty or more years. Anywhere from 10,000 to 50,000 miles. Countless opportunities to be serviced. And it never happened. And you know what's even worse? When the carbs have a jet kit or some other ill-advised modification as well. Then the irony is simply incredible.

VB series. The factory yellow paint, unbroken, indicates these carburetors have never been synchronized, which Honda says they should be every 3500 miles.

Another one, also a VB series carb. I have probably seen this approaching hundreds of times. Too, too sad.

This one is a VD series Keihin carburetor, meaning from either a V4 or a GL1200. And like the others, this bike somehow escaped getting a maintenance service. The pilot screw cover has never been removed.

Another VB carb. No matter what the owner of this bike thinks happened, a maintenance service never did. To call that a shame doesn't say enough.

Continuing with the VB series, here it's a pilot screw that has never had its EPA limiting flag removed for a proper adjustment. One more machine among so many whose maintenance was neglected.

And another VD series carburetor whose pilot screw cover is still intact and should not be. These examples are mute testimony, but there are a lot of such indicators of neglect on vintage Hondas.